Clamp



Patented Aug. 29, 1950 CLAMP Max Laube, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to The L. S. Starrett Company, Athol, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 26, 1948, Serial No. 4,264

This invention relates to clamps and more particularly to a clamp for holding a dial test indicator in operative position relative to the work to be tested.

nates in a head provided with an opening to receive the threaded end of the post or arm which carries the dial indicator, and the other arm of which provides a bearing for the clamp screw. In this construction the post or arm is coaxial with the clamp screw and hence the use of the dial indicator is limited to positionsy where the clamp can be mounted on the lathe or other surface with its post or arm suiliciently close to the work to enable the contact plunger of the dial indicator to contact the work.

In order to avoid this limitation it has been proposed (Patent No. 2,371,451) to provide the clamp head with a plurality of vtapped holes, spaced 90 apart, within which the indicator supporting post or arm may be selectively mounted. One objection to such multiple socket head however, is that it provides for only four positions of adjustment of the supporting post or arm. Another objection is that the post or arm can be changed from one position to another only by unscrewing it from one tapped hole and screwing it into another hole.

The main object of my present invention is to provide a clamp in which the indicator post or arm is capable of being adjusted to and locked in a multiplicity of positions amounting to a universal range of adjustment with reference to the clamp.

Another object is to provide a clamp in which the indicator post or arm is always connected to the clamp regardless of the lposition to which it is adjusted.

A further object is to provide a clamp which is simple in design, inexpensive of manufacture, and convenient to operate.

Other objects and advantages will appear as this description proceeds, and in the accompanying drawing wherein I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my novel clamp applied to a suitable support and equipped with a conventional dial indicator, and showing in full and dotted lines several of the numerous positions into which the dial indicator may be adjusted and locked when the supporting post or arm is swung about a horizontal axis through a full circle.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1, and show- 2y claims. (Cl. 248-226) 2 ing in full and dotted lines two of the numerous positions the post or arm may assume when swung about a vertical axis through a full circle.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3,-3'of Figure 2 and showing' in full and dotted lines several of the many positions which the supporting post or arm may assume when swung about a horizontal axis, and

Figure 4 is a section' on the line 4--4 of Figure 3.

The frame of my novel clamp is C-shaped, and comprises a body I0 which terminates at its ends in spaced horizontal arms I2 and I4. Arm I4 serves as a bearing for a threaded clamp screw I6 between the head of which and the arm I2 the bench or other support indicated at A is adapted to be clamped.

Body I0 is bored and counterbored from end to end as shown in Figure 3 to receive a rotatable stem 20 of greater length than said body. The lower end of said stem projects beyond the end of body I0 and is threaded to receive an adjusting nut I8, body I0 adjacent its lower end being counterbored to receive a coil spring 26 which reacts between the shoulder at the inner end of said counterbore and a washer 28 clamped against the outer face of body I0 by said nut.

Fast to the upper end of stem 20 is a split head 30, the lower face of which is formed as a conical bearing surface 32 which projects into a conical bearing surface 34 formed in the outer face of said body at the upper end thereof. Head 30 is made fast to the upper end of stern 20 in any suitable manner. As here shown, the upper face of head 3B is recessed to receive a locking collar 22 pinned to stem 20 as at 24. Head 30 is formed with an offset bearing portion 3l having a horizontal bore connecting with the split thereof within which bore is rotatively mounted the bent inner end 40' of a dial indicator supporting post 40. The end 40 of post 40 is relatively short and is bent at substantially right angles to the post. It is secured within said bore in any suitable manner, as by tapping and threading it to receive a clamping screw 44, vthere being a washer 42 clamped between the head of said screw and the adjacent face of the offset portion 3| of said head. At its free end postv 40 is adapted to be detachably fastened in any suitable manner to the back of a conventional dial indicator 46 having a work contact plunger 48.

When nut I8 is tightened, it initiates a double clamping action. Portion 32 of head 30 is drawn tightly against its seat 34 on body I0 to lock the head against rotation about a vertical axis and simultaneously the split sections of the head are drawn together to cause the bore in oiset 3| to clamp the end 4B of post 40 against rotation about a horizontal axis.

When said nut is loosened, the post may be adjusted to a multiplicity of positions by either rotating head 30 about a vertical axis or rotating the postiitselfl about a horizontal axis Within the bearingf'l'of said head. Y l

While I have described and illustrated a prechanged within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my iriventiorr,"what I claim as new and desire to vsecure by 'Letters Patent is:

v l i 'The following references are of record in the y l. A gauge supporting device comprisinga body -v having a bore therethrough, a head on the bod;r at one end of the bore and having a bci'rethere-I through disposed laterally of and right angular 20 to the-frstnamed here, a 'gauge supporting post jlzxayingne -end ,portion-disposed inthe-second named-horeandthe other fend portion disposed f:relativelyfangular .-thereto, .the-,head' being ad givir-ustableaonjthe body about'the .axis olf therst named- Iboreand the post-being adjustaz'lel inf-the dread. about theaxisofthe second-named bore, and means including la in-therst'named bore for simultaneously clamping the head and post against said adjustments.

2. rIhe gauge supporting device deined in claim 1 in which said head is a U-shaped clamp having two connected legs in superposed relation on the head and said second named bore is disposed therein at the junction ends of the two legsysaid means including the rod extending through said legs and an velement operative on the rod to draw the legs into clamping engageferred embodiment of my invention, it is to 4'xnent with the post and the head into clamping understood that the same may be variously.

contact with the body.

MAX LAUBE.

- REFERENCES CITED file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 417,997 g Dupuis- Deel2@ 1889 v1,143,990* O elkers vJuni?, 22, vv19.15 al,334,682 :Colstad Dec. 1 ,1931 2,124,006 Parker July .19, 1938 .2,210,370 -A Pierce Oct. ,29, 1940 :f2-,265,583 Y y VCarroll Dec. 23, 1941 Peltier Aet aL -J-uls 22, 19.47 

